Page 173 of Cursed Evermore

“The Weight Beneath the Silence”

The circular chamber in Vyrenth Hollow's highest tower had always been my sanctuary for strategy. The ancient stone walls bore paintings of the kings of Galaythia and their victories in battle. Usually, the paintings made me feel closer to my ancestors, but tonight, with defeat staring me in the face, the chamber felt more like a tomb.

Arielle and my Bloodsworn sat with me around the long table in the center of the room, their expressions as grim as the news I'd just shared with them.

After spending the day and most of the night failing to come up with a plan, I'd decided to summon them for a meeting where I'd filled them in on everything that had transpired.

“At the moment we're basically stuck.” My voice cut through the suffocating silence settling over the room. “There are two things at work here. The spell's failure and destiny's helping hand. I can't figure out what any of it means.”

Bastian and Alaric leaned forward, their contemplative gazes zeroing in on me. Garrick sat rigid beside them, jaw clenched,still nursing his wounded pride from our earlier confrontation, but in his eyes, I could tell he felt bad for me. And Arielle... she stared at her hands, her blue eyes clouded with the same confusion that gnawed at my insides.

“The spell seemed to be working,” Garrick stated, resting his elbows on the table. “That has to count for something. It worked until it was...” His voice trailed off as he considered the right word.

“Blocked,” Arielle filled in, her voice carrying the kind of exhaustion that came from questioning everything you thought you knew.

“Yes, blocked,” I agreed. Blocked was exactly how I'd describe what happened, whether that was through something we did or didn't do, or through some external force. “The blood flowed, the map began to form, then something reversed the entire process.”

“What about Dreynthor? Could he have tampered with it? Maybe he found a way around the wards to see inside the house,” Bastian suggested.

“It's not possible. Apart from the wards, the Hollow Room is sealed from anyone and any magic I haven't authorized. My father layered it with dragon-wrought magic from Pyrion's first molt, so it's tied to my blood, just like the rest of the manor.”

“Are you certain he couldn't have found a way around that?”

“If he had, the Hollow Room would have adjusted itself to keep us hidden.” That was how it worked. “No matter how powerful the spell or power, the Hollow Room will always create a counter of greater strength. Dreynthor knows this, so unless he was inside the room with us, he'd be none the wiser. Even if someone told him what we were doing, it still wouldn't work because the room would repel their magic.”

Some magical rules couldn't be broken. The room's defense system was one of them, carefully crafted to outsmart even the most powerful sorcerer.

Bastian nodded his understanding.

“Maybe we're looking at this all wrong,” Arielle suggested. “What if there was no malevolent force at work? Nyzith strands don't usually appear in the presence of dark magic or even negativity.”

I pressed my palms against the cool surface of the table. “I've considered that. It also wasn't the first time Elariya and I had seen them.”

They all stared, eyes stunned and gleaming.

Alaric threw me a sharp look. “When did you see them?”

“Back in Stormfell when I was tracking Elariya. At the time, I thought she'd conjured them. I only realized today that she didn't. Destiny allowed us to see them for a reason.”

Bastian relaxed his shoulders. “Do you think destiny sent the Nyzith strands?”

“No. The laws of destiny are nullified by blood bonds, and the elements of Nyzith strands can't be controlled by it either. But I think destiny allowed us to see whatever spell sent them.”

“Maybe to put things right,” Arielle conceded. “Destiny will always seek to restore the natural order of things.”

“Exactly. And what is the natural order here?” I leaned back and stared at each of them. “I'm supposed to be the king of Galaythia, not cursed from taking the throne. We're the only kingdom in the realm where the magic of the land is tied to dragon magic. We don't have that until I get the ring back. Elariya also isn't supposed to be here. Our curses have gone on for far too long. The curses themselves go against the natural order of things.”

If I were being honest about honoring the natural order, that would also mean I wouldn't get to keep my mage. But that wasa worry for another time. Not now. I couldn't afford to be selfish now.

“So then, the question is what sent the Nyzith strands?” Arielle asked.

“The ring.” Alaric pulled the words from my mind. “The ring could have sent them.”

I nodded. That was the conclusion I'd reached, too. “The ring has its own power, mind, body, and soul. It wants me to find it. The only way it can do that is by leaving clues for me to track.”

“So perhaps the spell was blocked by the ring's magic,” Arielle said, piecing together her idea.

“That's a strong possibility and maybe there's something else we need to find to breach the barriers.” I found Garrick's gaze. He'd suggested something similar earlier. “I think you were right.”